Pharm Life

26/04/2022

[PharmLife: Generic Drugs]

"Clozapine", generic for "Clozaril", "Leponex", "Denzapine", "Zaponex", "Versacloz" and others, is a psychiatric medication and is the first atypical antipsychotic (2nd Generation Medication). It is primarily used to treat people with Schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders who have had an inadequate response to other antipsychotics or who have been unable to tolerate other drugs due to extrapyramidal side effects. It is also used for the treatment of psychosis in Parkinson's Disease.

Clozapine is regarded as the gold-standard treatment when other medication has been insufficiently effective and its use is recommended by multiple international treatment guidelines.

26/04/2022

[PharmLife: Off-Label Uses]

What does Off-Label Use mean?

You may not realize that you have probably been prescribed a drug "off-label" at one time or another by your doctor. But what does "off-label" really mean? "Off-label" use of a drug refers to prescribing a medication for a different purpose than those formally approved by the FDA and found in the package labeling of the drug. It's common, and it's legal.

It is the use of pharmaceutical drugs for an unapproved indication or in an unapproved age group, dosage, or route of administration. Both prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs (OTCs) can be used in off-label ways, although most studies of off-label use focus on prescription drugs.

The package insert (or label) describes what the drug is, how it's used, important approval research, and possible side effects. In a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers found roughly 1 in 10 prescriptions were written for off-label use, and of those, 80% were for uses lacking strong scientific evidence.

An example of an Off-Label Use:
Quetiapine (Also known as Seroquel) is an Atypical Antipsychotic medication (2nd Generation) used for the treatment of Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). It is sometimes used off-label, often as an augmentation agent, to treat conditions such as Tourette syndrome, musical hallucinations and anxiety disorders. Many people also use this drug as a sleeping aid, but the side effects can far outweigh the benefits.

"Off-label prescribing means that we're venturing into uncharted territory where we lack the usual level of evidence presented to the FDA that tells us these drugs are safe and effective," said Randall Stafford, MD, PhD, an associate professor with the Stanford Prevention Research Center.

26/04/2022

[PharmLife: Drug-Condition/Drug-Disease Interactions]

What is Quetiapine or Seroquel?

"Quetiapine", also known by the brand name "Seroquel" or "Seroquel XR", is an Atypical Antipsychotic medication (2nd Generation) used for the treatment of Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Many people also use this drug as a sleeping aid, but the side effects can far outweigh the benefits.

Seroquel (Quetiapine) and Alzheimer's Disease:

Quetiapine does not decrease agitation among people with Alzheimer's Disease. This drug worsens intellectual functioning in the elderly with dementia and therefore is not recommended.

What is a Drug-Condition/Drug-Disease Interaction?

A Drug-Condition Interaction is a reaction that occurs when taking a drug while having a certain medical condition. For example: taking a nasal decongestant if you have high blood pressure may cause an unwanted reaction. Decongestants relieve nasal stuffiness by narrowing blood vessels and reducing swelling in the nose. This narrowing can affect other blood vessels as well, which can increase blood pressure.

25/04/2022

[PharmHistory: 2019]

In 2019, "Quetiapine", also known by the brand name "Seroquel" or "Seroquel XR", was the 56th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 13 million prescriptions.

It is an atypical antipsychotic medication (2nd Generation) used for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. Quetiapine was developed in 1985 and approved for medical use in the United States in 1997.

Despite being widely used as a sleep aid due to its sedating effect, the benefits of such use do not appear to generally outweigh the side effects such as weight gain and increased appetite. It is taken orally in tablet form and extended release tablet form.

In 2013, a comparison of 15 antipsychotic drugs in when it came to the effectiveness in treating schizophrenia, quetiapine demonstrated standard effectiveness. It was 13–16% more effective than Ziprasidone, Chlorpromazine, and Asenapine and approximately as effective as Haloperidol and Aripiprazole (Zoloft).

Common side effects include sleepiness, constipation, weight gain, and dry mouth. Other side effects include low blood pressure with standing, seizures (especially when stopping taking this medication suddenly), a prolonged er****on, high blood sugar, tardive dyskinesia, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome. In older people with dementia, its use increases the risk of death. Use in the third trimester of pregnancy may result in a movement disorder in the baby for some time after birth. Quetiapine is believed to work by blocking a number of receptors including serotonin and dopamine.

25/04/2022

[PharmLife: Drug-Condition/Drug-Disease Interactions]

What is Quetiapine or Seroquel?

"Quetiapine", also known by the brand name "Seroquel" or "Seroquel XR", is an Atypical Antipsychotic medication (2nd Generation) used for the treatment of Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Many people also use this drug as a sleeping aid, but the side effects can far outweigh the benefits.

Seroquel (Quetiapine) & Parkinson's Disease

The symptoms of Parkinson's Disease are caused by the loss of Dopamine, and Seroquel inhibits Dopamine Receptors, therefore this drug may increase the symptoms of Parkinson's- making the condition worse. It is always important to monitor side effects that are related to taking this drug.

What is a Drug-Condition/Drug-Disease Interaction?

A Drug-Condition Interaction is a reaction that occurs when taking a drug while having a certain medical condition. For example: taking a nasal decongestant if you have high blood pressure may cause an unwanted reaction. Decongestants relieve nasal stuffiness by narrowing blood vessels and reducing swelling in the nose. This narrowing can affect other blood vessels as well, which can increase blood pressure.

25/04/2022

25/04/2022

[PharmLife: Drug Interactions]

Talk to your doctor before using alendronate together with aspirin. If you take a medication like alendronate by mouth, combining it with aspirin may increase your risk of developing gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding.

25/04/2022

[PharmHistory: Syndromes]

"Reye's (Reye) Syndrome" is a rare but serious condition that causes swelling in the liver and brain. Reye's syndrome most often affects children and teenagers recovering from a viral infection, most commonly the flu or chickenpox. About 90% of cases in children are associated with aspirin (salicylate) use.

25/04/2022

[PharmHistory 1995]

In 1995, "Alendronic Acid" or "Alendronate Sodium", known commonly as "Alendronate", sold under the brand name "Fosamax" and "Binosto" among others, was approved for medical use in the United States.

First described in 1978, It is a bisphosphonate medication used to treat osteoporosis and Paget's disease of the bone. It is taken by mouth. Use is often recommended together with vitamin D, calcium supplementation, and lifestyle changes. This medication is also used in the prevention and treatment of corticosteroid-associated osteoporosis.

Common side effects (1 to 10% of patients) include constipation, abdominal pain, nausea, and acid reflux. Some other side effects are muscle or joint pain and spasms. Use is not recommended during pregnancy or in those with poor kidney function. Alendronic acid works by decreasing the activity of cells that break down the bone.

In 2019, Alendronate was the 96th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 7 million prescriptions.

25/04/2022